Led Cyr Wheel Cuff v3

thingiverse

Here is the latest iteration of my LED Cyr wheel project. A Cyr Wheel is a large metal ring that rotates gyroscopically as a person spins it, acting similarly to a coin or penny but with every movement and motion caused by the person inside it. I've been practicing for 2 years now, and in 2013 I decided I wanted to try putting lights on it. After a couple of different attempts at taping LED strands, I settled on the idea of a 3D printed inner cuff. Now in 2015, I've printed out three versions of an inner cuff to secure and protect LEDs to my wheel. The latest model is thin and streamlined, perfectly following the curve of my wheel. It protects one strip of WS2812B LEDs, grips the wheel well enough to stay in place, and diffuses the LEDs, giving the entire cuff a glow. The inner cuff uses approximately 50 identical "Body" pieces (depending on wheel circumference), divided into 10 piece segments. Each of these pieces is connected with two plugs and a dab of super glue. One segment is shorter and uses a "shorty" piece to close the final gap and complete the cuff. I've also included my last cuff design, which is sturdier and uses two light strips divided into five segments. It's definitely more designed, with channels for lights and wires, space for microcontrollers, amplifiers, and connectors. I really learned the value of Sketchup's "Follow Me" tool designing this model. You can print this cuff out using the files named Standard and Keystone. I ultimately decided to use one piece of strip instead of individual sections and a simpler design. A short video of the cuff in action is available at https://youtu.be/WI6kjon1fL4.